I didn’t want to make a big deal out of her problem at school, so instead I stewed and stewed over a solution that would keep the staff out of it. Then my husband, who has an occasional flash of brilliance (but don’t tell him I said that) suggested that she keep a pack of sticky notes with her. Yep, that easy. A sticky note over the sensor keeps the toilet from flushing (or as we say at our house, puts the potty to sleep), so my daughter can get up, get her clothes pulled up and open the stall door before she flushes the toilet. And I think, really, that is the big difference- SHE flushes the toilet. She’s never surprised or worried that it will go off when she’s not ready. Since dealing with this problem, I’ve looked it up on the internet. There are entire blogs dedicated to children afraid of automatic flush toilets and solutions to the problem. My husband wasn’t the first to come up with sticky notes, either. Also, if the sensor is out away from the wall, you can drape a piece of toilet paper over it for the same effect. (Normally, I’m not one to encourage wasting paper, but since my daughter is in school I can’t go in with her and cover the sensor with my hand. I’d recommend that for smaller children.)

My daughter’s friend came out of school the other day looking very distraught. I asked her what was wrong, and she said she REALLY had to go potty, but refused to use the school toilets. I passed on our tips to her mom, and this morning, the little girl looked happy as a clam. My daughter, her friend, and (I bet) a lot of other kids have the same fear, and I’m sure a lot of us moms curse the name of the person who came up with these monsters. But don’t worry- we can give our kids tools to overcome the terrible toilets!

I’m new to the Zen world, which delights me since I strive to achieve balance in just about everything in life.  I’m not even sure what it means to “be Zen,” but thanks to Leo Babauta’s amazing blog, Zen Habits, I am confident I can learn.  I recently learned of Zen Habits, and it is full of practical, great ideas on how to take control of (or improve) things in life that are important to you.  And apparently its not a secret: Zen Habits has over 100,000 subscribers and was named a Top 25 Blog by Time Magazine.

I recommend taking The Beginners Guide to Zen Habits – A Guided Tour.  You will be instantly hooked.   Whether you want to simplify your life, improve your finances, focus on health and fitness, or stay motivated to achieve your goals, Zen Habits has something for you.   Also, don’t forget to read Leo Babauta’s story. He has done a lot of amazing things since just 2005, and his story shows he was a “regular guy” who implemented change one step at a time, and ended up with outstanding results.  He is  inspiring, and shows that you too can take control of things that are important to you.  So check out Zen Habits soon.  I know I’m going to continue using it as a resource, and hope to soar through Babauta’s books too.  Together, we can get our Zen on.

I’m always flattered when a fellow foodie asks for one of my recipes and this is the one that keeps coming up.  While often thought of as a Summer BBQ favorite, the oven cooking method here makes Baby Back Ribs the perfect comfort food this Fall with only 6 ingredients besides the ribs, salt and pepper and it makes a homemade BBQ sauce from scratch.  It came from my grandma and I even submitted it to my Junior League of Boca Raton cookbook when I was on that committee eons ago.  It’s in there, “Savor the Moment” page 46, a gorgeous specimen of a coffee table book of which I am proud to have been a part.

Barbecued Ribs

Ingredients
1 onion, sliced
5 lbs. baby back ribs
salt and pepper
1 14 oz. bottle chili sauce (my grandma’s recipe called for Brooks Tangy Catsup, but I’ve never seen it again and chili sauce seems to be what that was)
½ (12 oz.) bottle horseradish (I’ve also used pure horseradish, about 2 T. mixed with 3/4 c mayo
½ c packed brown sugar
¼ c worcestershire sauce

1. Spread onions in an oiled 9X13 pan (sometimes I need 2 pans or have to cut the slabs to fit).
2. Sprinkle both sides of the ribs with salt and pepper and arrange over the onions.
3. Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 2 hours.
4. In the meantime, combine the remaining ingredients in a bowl to make the BBQ sauce.
5. After the first 2 hours of cooking, remove foil and spread sauce over ribs.
6. Bake uncovered 1 hour.

Talk about perfect fall-off-the bone meaty ribs!  Serve with cornbread, coleslaw, and sweet potato pie (or pumpkin for us yankees!)

Do you want to add a little culture to your children’s lives?  I discovered a children’s author I just love, James Mayhew.  Many of his books revolve around a little girl, Katie, who visits museums with her grandmother.

The first Mayhew book I read to my son was Katie and the Dinosaurs.   The story is about a young girl who goes to a natural history museum with her grandmother.  Her grandmother becomes tired and sits down on a bench for a nap.  Katie explores the museum by herself and discovers a door that says, “Absolutely No Admittance Whatsoever”.  She steps through the door and she is in a dinosaur land and ahead of her is a complete dinosaur adventure.

Our second book we read by Mayhew was Katie and The Sunflowers.  This book, like many of his others, teaches children about famous artists and their artwork in an entertaining way.  This time, Katie is at an art museum and her grandmother sits down for another “rest” and Katie comes across the painting Sunflowers by Vincent van Gogh.  She touches the flowers in the painting and they fall out onto the floor.  The flowers are then carried off by a little dog who had  jumped out of another painting.  The dog then jumps into van Gogh’s Cafe Terrace at Night with Katie following him.  The adventure continues in and out of paintings with Katie speaking to various people in each painting.

I was so intrigued with his work I did some research on him.  A Scholastic biography said the following:

James Mayhew was born in Stamford, England and graduated from the Maidstone College of Art in 1987, with first class honors. He is a prolific and renowned illustrator who hopes to peak young children’s interest in music and art. He is enthusiastic about his subjects and this passion is apparent in his work.

In 1994, he was awarded the New York Times Best Illustrated Children’s Book of the Year for, The Boy and the Cloth of Dreams.  Some other books he has illustrated and/or authored are: Katie and Mona Lisa, Katie Meets the Impressionists, and Katie’s Picture Show, and Who Wants a Dragon. The list goes on and on.  I believe these books would be appropriate for children 3 years to 8 years. You can find his books on Amazon .com along with their reviews .

Here’s another link to learn more about James Mayhew.

6.022 x 1023. I keep random bits of geeky information, such as Avogadro’s number (the number of atoms in a mole) in my head. If you do too, you may be ready for Geekdad. This daily blog (affiliated with Wired Magazine) is a wonderfully random sampling of things of interest for the tech savvy, sci-fi addicted geeks among us. The broad subject range (Lord of the Rings to cyber security) offers diversion and education alike, with a special focus on geeking it up with kids; geeklets, according to these dads.

When I first looked at Geekdad, I was overwhelmed by the amount of material and the sheer geekiness of it all. It’s written by engineers, software developers, pop-culture sci-fi junkies, and other dangerously over-educated people. Most of the content is geared towards Dad Time, including great movie reviews (including scary parts and great times for potty breaks), cool toys, thorough product reviews, spreading geekiness to your kids (Sharing Geeky Gardening With Your Children) and cool stuff like how bridges are built. Some of the posts are over my technical threshold, but there was plenty of material that I understood and enjoyed, especially the Real Genius reference in the top 10 list for dealing with the recession or alien invasion.

So give Geekdad a couple of tries (the first may be overwhelming) and let your inner Spock frolic. You’ll learn how to survive a zombie attack (physics proves you should go to the mall), find a training wheel for “Geek Generation 2.0″ and see the coolest Lego Voltron ever. But watch out: if you’re like me, you could become an addict.

A few weeks ago, I was making dinner in the kitchen when my daughter came and asked me for a small bowl. Figuring she couldn’t do much damage with a little one, I gave it over to her. She quickly ran to the bathroom, ran the water briefly, then came out- no bowl in sight. I wondered what she was up to. Then she ran out in the backyard, went into a flower bed, then went back to the bathroom. After a few more trips to the backyard, I was pretty curious so I followed her into the bathroom. On the counter was a small bowl of water filled with honeysuckle, phlox and geranium petals. When I asked what she was doing, she proudly stated “I’m making perfume!”

It’s easy at a time like this to see the puddles on the sink, the flower petals on the floor and the dirt she tracked in from the yard and get mad. After all, who does she think cleans up the mess? What was she thinking? Then it dawned on me – my kid is practicing science! She is conducting her own experiment, just for the pleasure of finding the result!

A few days after that, my son was eating a bowl of soup. As he worked on the soup, he would periodically drop things into it: bits of cracker, apple slices, whatever he could find. Again, my first reaction was to look at the splashes, the food he was wasting, the mess on his shirt. But again, he was conducting research- seeing what things would float, what would sink, and what would still taste good (turns out apples in soup are great!).

Now that I understand that the goal of some (it’s up to us moms to draw the line) mess-making is simply to see what will happen, I try to keep a more open mind. I know how tiny my son can cut up paper. I know how long it takes to empty the toy box. I know what my driveway looks like after the kids paint it with mud. With all these experiences, my kids are discovering things about themselves and how things work in the world around them, which is worth a lot of Pine-Sol. (They are also getting pretty good at using a broom.) Also, when we do activities like cook together or paint, by making a mess, they are learning how NOT to make a mess (practice makes perfect).

And you know what? Honeysuckle, phlox and geranium petals smell really great together!

Growing up, I had one “homemade” Halloween costume that I can remember.  Our yearly ritual usually consisted of picking out a prepackaged costume that included a hard plastic mask that left your face all sweaty, and a generic plastic jumpsuit printed with your character on the front.  I had fun picking out my costume each year, but I was really focused on the upcoming candy haul.  Then one fall a neighbor let me borrow an old witches costume she had made when her children were small.  Although this costume was a 20 year old hand-me-down, it was GREAT and I tried it on every day in the weeks leading up to Halloween and for several weeks after!  The cardboard witches hat had long, flowing gray hair that I think came from a mop.  I had always wanted long hair.  The full black cape was lined with satin.  And the shoes, oh, the shoes…they looked like real witches shoes, with curled up toes and high heels!  This was the first pair of high heels I ever wore and I can still remember the click-click-click they made as I walked along the sidewalk.  I’m not a “shoe girl” by any means, but boy, was that fun!  I can’t believe that one costume can still invoke such fond memories 25 years later.

Taco Bell

Chipotle

Just show up at any Chipotle dressed like one of their meals on Halloween and you’re in for a FREE Boo-rito! Hmm, I wonder if the Painted Hen can do one of these costumes out of cardboard and aluminum foil!?!

Applebee’s

Children 12 and under in a Halloween costume get a FREE kids’ meal at lunch or dinnertime on October 31 (with purchase of adult entree)

Boston Market

2 kids eat FREE through October 31, 2009. NO costume required(but you do have to buy a $6 adult meal to get the deal). Details here.

McDonald’s

Visit a participating McDonald’s in costume on Halloween get a FREE cheeseburger or hamburger! (You might want to call ahead to see if your local restaurant is participating)

Breyers YoCrunch

For up to two weeks following Halloween, parents can send any candy wrapper to YoCrunch and receive a coupon for a FREE Breyers YoCrunch yogurt.  Get all the details here.

Michael’s

Come in on Halloween for a free kids Trick-or-Treat Pail, plus a FREE coloring activity, FREE Crayola pencil topper demo with Crayola Model Magic Fusion and a Make-It Take It Halloween Frame. And if that’s not enough, kids also get a FREE balloon and candy too. Check out the details here.

Brunswick Bowling

Get a coupon good for one FREE game of open play bowling for up to 6 people in a single visit.  Valid only on Halloween. Click here to grab the coupons.

The Picture People

FREE portrait sheet of Halloween wallet size prints. Get spooky here.

Sears

On October 31, bring your child dressed in their Halloween costume to the new Sears Toy Shop and receive a FREE toy from Mattel. They also have a printable coupon for $5 off a $20 Toy Purchase. Get the details here.
Also, get a FREE portrait collage ($44.95) at Sears with no sitting fee. Better hurry though, it ends tomorrow 10/31/09!

World Wildlife Fund

If you haven’t already carved your pumpkins, check out these FREE pumpkin stencils from the World Wildlife Fund. Get the stencil info here.

Spooky iPhone Apps

Rotor Blog has found 9 fun iPhone apps to liven up your Halloween. Check them out here.

So what cooking style do I enjoy most?  Fast, easy and especially at this time of year – FUN!  Halloween and Christmas are my favorite holidays, so these are the times I jump in with some festive snacks that are simple to prepare and will make the kids smile!  Two favorites that my youngsters always ask for at Halloween are Mummy Dogs and Bug-Eyed Blobs.  I have made these creepy treats “healthier” by using veggie hot dogs and a reduced sugar cake mix, but we also love making them the traditional way too.  These recipes have been around for a while and they are still a hit at our house!

Mummy Dogs

Ingredients
1 can (8 oz) refrigerated crescent rolls
2½ slices American cheese, quartered
10 large hot dogs
Mustard or ketchup, if desired

1. Heat oven to 375.
2. Unroll dough; separate at perforations, creating 4 rectangles.  Press perforations to seal.
3. Using a pizza cutter, slice each rectangle lengthwise into 10 pieces, making a total of 40 pieces of dough.
4. Cut cheese slices into quarters, making a total of 10 pieces of cheese.
5. Place one cheese piece on each hot dog.
6. Wrap hot dog with 4 pieces of dough to look like “bandages”, stretching dough slightly to completely cover hot dog.  About 1/2 inch from one end of each hot dog, separate “bandages” so hot dog shows through for “face.”  (Optional:  Using a sharp knife, cut small holes for “eyes”)  Place wrapped hot dogs (cheese side down) on ungreased cookie sheet.
7. Bake 13 to 17 minutes or until dough is light golden brown and hot dogs are hot.  (Optional:  With mustard, draw features on “face”)

Source:  www.pillsbury.com

Bug-Eyed Blobs Cupcakes

Ingredients
2 cans (16 oz) vanilla frosting
Neon-green food coloring
24 cupcakes
1 bag (16 oz) large marshmallows
Candy eyes (available online if you can’t find in your local store)
Wax paper

1. In large glass bowl, tint frosting bright green using food coloring.
2. Spread a thin layer of frosting on tops of cupcakes.
3. For each cupcake, cut 2 marshmallows in half and place randomly on frosting.
4. Place cupcakes on a wire rack over a sheet of wax paper.  (Optional:  Tape a strip of wax paper around base of cupcake to protect from frosting “runoff”)
5. Microwave frosting 10 to 20 seconds or until frosting is the consistency of whipped cream.
6. Slowly spoon over marshmallows to cover completely.
7. Add candy eyes to cupcakes before frosting hardens.

Source:  Parents October 2005

Take me out to the ball game,
Take me out with the crowd.
Buy me some peanuts and cracker jack,
I don’t care if I never get back,
Let me root, root, root for the home team…

Today is the first day of the 2009 World Series and unfortunately my “home” team isn’t playing in the series this year.  And that means just one thing: no nice, warm (over-priced) peanuts and cracker jack from the stadium vendor this October!  My kids and I will be watching our favorite team, the New York Yankees, take on the Philadelphia Phillies from the comfort of our own home on television.  But we all love those stadium peanuts and cracker jack.  So this year, we’re going to try making our own.  Sure, we could buy some roasted peanuts and cracker jack at the grocery, but we thought this might be more fun to try.  If you want to try your hand at making some homemade peanuts and cracker jack with your kids this year, here are two good recipes that are worth trying.  Now all you’ll need to do is find some fun little prizes to stick into your cracker jack and you’re all set!

Cracker Jack

Ingredients
4 quarts popcorn, popped
1 cup  Spanish peanuts
4 tablespoons butter
1 cup brown sugar
½ cup light corn syrup
2 tablespoons molasses
¼ teaspoon  Salt

1. Preheat oven to 250 degrees.
2. Combine popcorn and peanuts in a metal bowl or on a cookie sheet and place in preheated oven.
3. Combine all remaining ingredients in a saucepan.
4. Stirring over medium heat, bring the mixture to a boil.
5. Using a cooking thermometer, bring the mixture to the hard-ball stage (260-275 degrees). This will take about 20 to 25 minutes.
6. Remove the popcorn and peanuts from the oven.  Using a pot or bowl which is large enough to hold all of the peanuts and  popcorn, quickly combine the peanuts and popcorn and the caramel mixture, stirring and tossing to mix thoroughly using a large spoon or spatula greased with butter.. Caution: The caramel mixture is very hot, so if you’re making this with kids, you might want to have them stand clear at this point.
7. Then place them back in the oven for 15 minutes. Mix well every five minutes, so that all of the popcorn is coated.
8. Cool and store in a covered container to preserve freshness.

Yield: 4 Servings

Source: Public domain recipe

Roasted Ballpark Peanuts

Ingredients
2 pounds in-shell raw peanuts*
2 tablespoons peanut oil
1 to 2 tablespoons kosher salt

*Cooks note: If eating peanuts roasted right out of the shell, use Virginia or Valencia peanuts.

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Rinse the peanuts under cool water to remove excess dirt. Pat dry and place in a large bowl and toss with the peanut oil and salt until well coated.
3. Place on 2 half sheet pans, making sure to spread them out into a single layer. Roast in the oven for 30 to 35 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through cooking. Once you remove the peanuts from the oven, let them cool slightly before eating. They will continue to “cook” and become crunchy as they cool.

Yield: About 2 pounds of roasted peanuts

Source: This recipe comes from the inimitable Alton Brown

One of my most enduring Halloween memories was receiving a small orange milk carton from my school teachers every October.  The box had the acronym UNICEF emblazoned upon it.  And every October 31st, I would diligently tramp around my neighborhood, ringing doorbells, and asking “Trick or Treat? UNICEF?”.  And I would always smile when I heard the sound of pennies or dimes drop into that little orange milk carton.  UNICEF and Trick-or-Treating always went hand in hand for me.  So, I find it fitting to challenge our readers to find a way to help UNICEF this Halloween.

What is UNICEF?

UNICEF is the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (now technically known as the United Nations Children’s Fund).  UNICEF provides long-term humanitarian and developmental assistance to children and mothers in developing countries. According to UNICEF, the tradition of ‘Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF‘ began in 1950 in the United States, when Philadelphia schoolchildren first went door-to-door at Halloween collecting money in decorated milk cartons to help their global peers. They raised a grand total of $17, kicking off a campaign that has since brought in millions of dollars each year to help UNICEF provide medicine, better nutrition, safe water, education, emergency relief and other support to children in more than 150 countries.

According to Charity Navigator, UNICEF is rated a four star charity.  That means, they’ll use their donations the way they say they will.  View UNICEF’s full Charity Navigator profile here.

What Can You Do?

If you or your children have a UNICEF box, put it to good use and fill it up this Halloween while you’re Trick-or-Treating. If you don’t have a UNICEF box, don’t worry, you can still help:

• Make a donation right now on the Five Hens UNICEF Trick-or-Treat Online page.  Our goals is to raise $200 for UNICEF this year.  Please help us reach it by adding your donation, large or small, to our drive.  Head over to our UNICEF site, donate what you can, and “Do Good” today.
• Create your own Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF fundraising webpage in just a few easy steps. Then invite your friends and family to help you raise funds to help kids all over the world survive and grow! Click here for all the details on how to create your own UNICEF website.
• Volunteer! If you have an undergraduate degree, several years of work experience and are interested in long-term volunteer opportunities in developing countries, you may be eligible for entry into the United Nations Volunteer (UNV) program. This is a United Nations common program, which recruits volunteers for assignments throughout the United Nations system, including UNICEF. Application procedures and information are available at the UNV Web site.
• Support UNICEF through charitable donations and purchases.  UNICEF relies heavily on people like all of us to help build a world fit for children.  There are many ways you can give to UNICEF, including purchasing unique cards and gift from the UNICEF store.

A couple years ago, my then-preschooler went on a field trip to the Garbage Garage and learned about recycling and the amount of waste caused by baggies.  I pack 5+ lunches each day, and usually would use about 5 baggies per lunch.  That means I would go through a 50 count box every 2 days – Yikes!  Besides the environmental impact, I’m way too frugal for that vicious cycle.  To appease my son, and do my little part for the environment, I resolved to try not to use baggies unless absolutely necessary.

For the younger set, 12 and under, my new-found bento investments (see Go Bento) are just the ticket, just big enough for their appetites and still cool in elementary school.  It’s the older set- middle schoolers, high schoolers and husbands- who want old school : the brown bag.  My challenge was to find containers that fit into brown bags.  I was determined to adhere to the “baggie-less” motto so I reuse lots of bread bags which can be recycled right in the lunchroom at school.  Still, there has to be a way to ensure fresh, healthy, beautiful and economical lunches in brown bags without relying on the plastic that inevitably comes home from the market.  I found that I can fit Rubbermaid’s divided rectangle (which happens to be one of their BPA-free products) into a brown bag and my son usually remembers to put it back in his backpack instead of the trash after lunch.  Ah ha, DIY Bento Boxes!  Another great discovery- larger size brown bags (for the same $2 you get 50 instead of 100) fit two divided rectangles.  Ahhhh, more fresh food that isn’t smooshed!

Plus, I don’t like being limited to packing non-perishable lunches so where to put the icee in a brown bag?  Sandwiches can be frozen, sans mayo and lettuce, but with a little herbed butter is great, and they seem to act as an icee and defrost  by lunch time.

This is just the next challenge in my mission to eliminate waste and create healthy, beautiful, and economical lunches.  I welcome any and all tips so I’m ready when the next set enters middle school!

We live just a few blocks away from my daughter’s elementary school, so (despite her sometimes very loud objections) we walk to class every day. I feel fortunate that we can do that, and realize not every one can. But nearly every day, I witness things that make me cringe: drivers speeding through the neighborhood, talking on cell phones, ignoring pedestrians. And what really gets me is, most of these careless drivers are parents with children in the back seat.

Imagine this: You have a small child, and you naturally want that child to be a good reader. To accomplish this goal, you keep all books and reading materials away from the child until he turns 4 1/2 and you deem him ready. Make sense? Of course not! You start early, let the child develop an interest in books, then slowly introduce new concepts and let your child soak it all in. I firmly believe that the same is true of driving. Good driving behavior is learned early and must be reinforced often! If you weave in and out of traffic, run red lights, speed, yell at fellow drivers and are a general hazard on the road, you can’t expect your child to ignore your behavior until he’s 16 and you’re ready to set a good example.

Adults, including mothers, seem to be forgetting their place as role models when it comes to driving. A scary statistic was recently released: the number of women arrested for drunk driving has increased almost 30% in the past 10 years. (Interestingly, the number of men arrested for the same crime decreased by 7.5% over the same period.) This was sadly illustrated in July of this year when Diane Schuler of New York drove 2 miles on the wrong side of the road on Taconic State Parkway, then crashed her minivan killing her 2 year old daughter, three nieces and three men in the other vehicle. Her blood alcohol level was more than twice the legal limit, and she had marijuana in her bloodstream. (To be fair, Schuler’s husband is denying that alcohol was involved and thinks she suffered a stroke of some kind. Tests are still being done.) It makes me wonder how many children are watching their parents drink and drive (without a tragic crash) and are picking up on the message that it’s okay.

Even if we aren’t drunk drivers, as parents we need to realize that our children are not oblivious to our behavior. If we are cautious, focused people who take driving seriously, they will learn that driving is a BIG DEAL.- important enough to do all by itself without phones and text messages, mascara wands and newspapers (we’ve all seen it!). If, however, we believe that our children will do as we say, not as we do, then we are contributing to the next generation of careless, reckless drivers. Let’s all give that some thought the next time we get behind the wheel with our little ones.

The Baby Einstein™ DVD Upgrade or Money Back Guarantee

Participation Guidelines

To participate, you must have purchased a Baby Einstein DVD between June 5, 2004 and September 4, 2009.

If you are not satisfied with the Baby Einstein DVD you purchased during the period mentioned above, for a limited time beginning on September 4, 2009 and ending on March 4, 2010, you may exchange it for one of the following:

• One (1) Baby Einstein Book of your choice
• One (1) Baby Einstein music CD of your choice

- Or -

• One (1) coupon for 25% off the purchase of one Little Einsteins™ product. Redeemable with promotion code only at DisneyStore.com.

or you may return it, and we will refund the current retail value of the DVD ($15.99).

To request your DVD exchange or refund (limited to four (4) per household), you must follow the steps below for each DVD returned (note: you may return more than one DVD in the same mailing envelope, but you MUST include a completed mail-in certificate or completed 8½x11 sheet of paper for each DVD you are returning) :

1. Package the DVD, in its original DVD case (if available), into a suitable mailing envelope or package.
2. Include the completed (hand-printed) request form below or an 8½x11 sheet of paper with your signature, name, address, telephone number and email address.
3. Indicate the DVD title you are returning and date of purchase.
4. Check the appropriate box on the exchange/refund request form found below or write in on your sheet of paper your choice of :
(a) An exchange for one (1) Baby Einstein Book OR one (1) Baby Einstein music CD. Please write in the product name or title in the appropriate space found on the refund request form below OR on your sheet of paper;
(b) A coupon for 25% off one (1) Little Einsteins™ product purchased online at DisneyStore.com; or
(c) A refund.
5. Submissions must be postmarked by March 4, 2010.
6. Mail to:

The Baby Einstein DVD Guarantee/Upgrade Offer
P.O. Box 3200
Neenah, WI 54957-3200

Here’s the mail-in certificate you’ll need:

Barnes and Noble

FREE small cookie and kid-size hot chocolate on Saturday, October 24 only. Get the coupon here.

Blockbuster Express

Get a FREE Rental from Blockbuster Express Kiosk with a code. Go to any Blockbuster Express and enter code GER9A2 and get free one night rental. Find the kiosk nearest you at Blockbuster Express.

The Picture People

FREE portrait sheet of Halloween wallet size prints. Get spooky here.

Sears

On October 31, bring your child dressed in their Halloween costume to the new Sears Toy Shop and receive a FREE to from Mattel. They also have a printable coupon for $5 off a $20 Toy Purchase. Get the details here.

So how did the Five Hens kick off our Wild Week?  The Hens, Roosters and their chicks had a Wild Day of our own courtesy of The Wildlife Experience in Parker, Colorado.  The Wildlife Experience is an interactive museum that connects the community with wildlife and habitats to teach them how they can have a positive effect on the environment.   If your family is interested in learning about animals and their habitats around the world, this museum is for you!

The first thing that strikes you when you arrive at The Wildlife Experience is the setting.  The museum is architecturally stunning and is surrounded by several outdoor sculptures set among natural landscaping.  Our kids were immediately drawn in – who doesn’t like going nose to nose with a wolf, looking up at a giant crane or watching a bubbling woodland stream disappear beneath your feet?  What a great way to get kids ready to explore!

Amazing Butterflies

Our first adventure took place in the Amazing Butterflies maze.  As with all of the exhibits, the best way to make learning fun is to jump right in and try out all of the stations with your kids.  There’s something for every age group along the way.  The little ones are engaged as you work together to do various activities such as crawling like a caterpillar, hunting for leaves, peeking out of a cocoon, crawling up a spider web, learning to flap your wings and finally FLYING!  (Speaking from personal experience, flying along the zip line is fun for adults too!)  Not only are there interesting facts to learn at each stop, but you need to apply that knowledge to guide you along the maze-like journey of the Butterfly.  Each time you choose the correct path you are rewarded with a stamp for your Garden card.  Do kids want to try to find all of those stamp stations?  You bet!  Something as simple as a card with stamps can become a cherished souvenir for kids.

Globeology

Globeology is a 25,000 sq. foot expansion that opened in April of 2009.  Our journey began with an exhibit developed by the National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration called Science on a Sphere.  Imagine a dimly lit room with a 6 foot sphere that appears to be spinning and hovering right in front of you, displaying information such as sea turtle migrations, hurricane images and ice shelf melting.  Yes, it is really cool! Although the accompanying narration was hard to hear during our visit, the Sphere is an amazing introduction to Globeology.  This is the start of a 1/4 mile trail that provides visitors with an immersive experience with the world’s wildlife and habitats. It is filled with animatronics, special visual effects and sound effects.  If you have hearing sensitive children, please note that all the Howler monkeys at the start of the rainforest trail give you a very loud welcome!  Not only are the exhibits interesting and extremely realistic (it actually snows in the tundra), there are several interactive touch screens with bio-facts and trivia games.  Whereas the adults and older children can learn and test themselves at the kiosks, our younger ones had a great time with the scavenger hunt animal identification cards we picked up at the start of the trail.  After the tundra snow and the underwater submersible, another highlight for our kids was the “fish tank” floor projection.  They stand on top of a projection of the sea floor, and depending on how still they are, tropical fish come out and swim around their feet.  As expected, the kids love to wait for the fish to get close and then chase them off the screen while shrieking with excitement.  Depending on how crowded it is, if you have young ones plan to spend a lot of time at this stop.  To complete the Globeology experience, we also picked up an Explorer Passport ($1.25) at the admission desk.  This is great for kids who are experienced readers and have an interest in becoming an eco-adventurer.  The passport is filled with 23 pages of educational activities and facts to explore during your trip and at home.

Discovery Den and Cubs Corner

Our next stop was at the Discovery Den, a great place for the kiddos to have some hands on play time.  Plus, if any adults (or grandparents!) need a break after the 1/4 mile Globeology trail, there is a nice lounge just outside of the Den with comfortable chairs and a mini library of science books for you to enjoy.  The Discovery Den is geared for kids ages 6 to 12 and has an arts and crafts station, a dress-up area with stage, discovery drawers and several kid-powered exhibits.  The kids loved working together to repeatedly load up the avalanche machine and then watch to see how many people or trees would be wiped out by the snow balls.  We also checked out the Cubs Corner, which is designed for the 5 and under crowd.  Our kids were immediately engaged in the bright and colorful play areas.

A special “feature” of this museum is the abundance of educational activities offered throughout the day.  Depending on the day you visit, you can choose from activities like children’s story time, coral reef fish feeding, science on a sphere presentations or animal bingo, to name a few.  We happened to catch the live snake demonstration at the Discovery Den.  Our boys were proud that they touched a live snake!

Exhibit Gallery

The Exhibit Gallery included some truly inventive ideas on how to help children explore a gallery filled with fine art.  Many of us would love to introduce our children to art museums and it sure is nice to have help along the way!  My favorite activity in the Colorado Gold 2009 invitational exhibit was the “You Be the Judge” clipboards, in which your child awards ribbons to the artwork of their choice.  There is a velcro tab on the back of each ribbon and a tab at each piece of artwork.  Some examples of the categories:  Best Use of Shape, Fastest Animal, Best Use of Camouflage.

Another activity was based around the “Some Like It Hot, Cold, Wet, Dry” theme of the The Wildlife Experience permanent collection.  Quiz kiosks were set up for the kids throughout the gallery, and each asked questions related to a particular habitat.  The format ranged from questions to picture matching.

Extreme Screen Theater

You can also enjoy a large-format film during you visit to The Wildlife Experience.  A concession stand is located at the entrance to the theater.   Coral Reef Adventure and Wild Safari were playing during our visit.  Both movies were kid-friendly.  If you have hearing sensitive children,  the volume of the movies was louder than expected.

Special Note

I did notice something special about The Wildlife Experience:  This is a museum that grows with your family.  In every room, from the play area to the largest exhibit, there were always educational displays, kiosks, or handouts with interesting facts, information or quizzes.  So as your children grow and show interest in various topics, the information is readily available for you to help them learn and explore, or for them to try it on their own.  They can learn something new each time they visit.

Other Notes About the Museum

Bring your walking shoes!  We spent five hours experiencing the exhibits, play areas and theater.

During our visit, the museum facilities were immaculate, colorful and engaging.  You can eat at outside tables or dine at the Toucan Cafe.  There is also a concession stand outside of the Extreme Screen Theater.

Something else that caught my eye during our visit was the extensive list of community events held year-round at the museum.  Trick or Treat OFF the Street was the upcoming event featured during our visit.  They were also preparing for their winter extravaganza – Winter WonderLights.  I was also impressed with their list of special movie events, such as Movie and a Milkshake for kids or Movie and a Martini (February – October) for adults.  It looked as though the special events are very popular and some were already sold out – so plan ahead of time!

Wild Value

Channel 7 KMGH and The Wildlife Experience bring you Lucky Sevens – on the 7th day of every month you can receive discounted admission.  Family memberships are also offered at a discounted rate on those days.  Now that’s budget friendly!

Bonus Giveaway

Have a Wildlife Experience of your own at Winter Wonderlights!  The Wildlife Experience and Five Hens are giving away four tickets to one lucky reader for Winter Wonderlights, a fun and magical journey to the North Pole.  Click here to find out how to enter for a chance to win.

Our Photo Album From Our Trip to the Museum

Check out the lightbox slideshow below of photos from our recent visit to the museum. Simply click on a thumbnail to start the slideshow. Details and information for each screenshot are located at the bottom of the image in the slideshow.

To complete the Winter WonderLights journey, visitors are invited to warm up in the Extreme Screen Theater with a showing of the original animated, How the Grinch Stole Christmas. Start a new tradition with your family and The Wildlife Experience—we hope to see to you and yours at Winter WonderLights!

How to Enter

To enter for a chance to win, just leave a comment right here on this post before Friday, November 6 at Midnight PST and tell us what you thought was most interesting about our Wildlife Experience post.  You can also earn a bonus entry by posting the following Tweet on Twitter: @fivehens is giving away 4 tix to Winter WonderLights at The Wildlife Experience http://bit.ly/2bpKUD #giveaways #denver #museum

The Fine Print

No purchase necessary to enter. Winners will be selected randomly through http://random.org. The Wildlife Experience and Five Hens employees, volunteers and their families are ineligible to participate. All entries received after Sunday, November 1, 2009 at midnight PST will not be considered. Entries that do not follow the entry requirements will not be considered. Winners will be notified by e-mail and will have 24 hours to confirm receipt of the e-mail. If they do not reply within 24 hours, another winner will be selected. Open to participants in the United States 18 years and older.

Your information is safe with us! Here’s why.

At Five Hens, we have strict policies about Ethical Blogging and your privacy so that whether you are a loyal reader, a sponsor, or a company or product we are reviewing, you can feel comfortable, safe and secure with all of us at the Five Hens. Please click here to see all of our policies.

Painted Hen found a great game called CAMP that’ll keep you enjoying the great outdoors even on cold, rainy, indoor days. Now we want to give six of our lucky readers a copy of the CAMP game and a CAMP Activity Book so you can have fun CAMPing with your family. (MSRP $31.00)

Entry Requirements

REQUIRED ENTRY

To enter for a chance to win, please read Painted Hen’s post about the CAMP game and then come back to this post, leave a comment and tell us what you found most interesting about her post.

ADDITIONAL BONUS ENTRIES

WOW! 6 more ways you can earn a bonus entry for this giveaway by doing any of the following things. Please leave a separate comment on this post for each bonus entry to let us know you did them.

1. Follow Five Hens on Twitter and post the following Tweet: @fivehens is giving away six copies of the game CAMP http://bit.ly/2nJAzr #giveaways #games #hiking #outdoors
   
2. Subscribe to the Five Hens monthly newsletter “The Hen House” here.
3. Subscribe to the Five Hens blog via email subscription here.
4. Subscribe to the Five Hens FriendFeed here.
5. Check out the code in our sidebar, grab our Five Hens button and add it to your blog or website. Leave an link back to your blog/site in a comment on this post.
6. Add your story to our new “One of our readers…” sidebar feature by sending us an email with your story right here.  (Your name and email address will not be published)

The Fine Print

No purchase necessary to enter. Winners will be selected randomly through http://random.org. Education Outdoors and Five Hens employees and their families are ineligible to participate. All entries received after Sunday, November 1, 2009 at midnight PST will not be considered. Entries that do not follow the entry requirements will not be considered. Winners will be notified and will have 24 hours to confirm receipt of the e-mail. If they do not reply within 24 hours, another winner will be selected. Open to participants in the US and Canada 18 years and older.

Your information is safe with us! Here’s why.

At Five Hens, we have strict policies about Ethical Blogging and your privacy so that whether you are a loyal reader, a sponsor, or a company or product we are reviewing, you can feel comfortable, safe and secure with all of us at the Five Hens. Please click here to see all of our policies.

All this week we have been encouraging our readers to experience the great outdoors.  And I can hear your question now.. “But Hens – what can we do on stormy days?”  Yes, I know exactly what you mean… those days when it’s fun to stay inside and just enjoy time with each other.  This summer, our family discovered a board game that’s multi-generational, teaches about the great outdoors and best of all, it’s a lot of fun.  Are you ready to CAMP?

We came across CAMP while looking for a new game to take with us on family camping trips.  It sounded fun, but was it really geared for preschoolers through grandparents?  We set up the game for the first time at a family get-together and it was a hit.  Because there are four levels of difficulty to choose from, our 3- and 6-year olds could play at separate levels, while the “science buffs” played at another level, all at the same time!  The variety of outdoor and wildlife questions was refreshing, and we learned something new from the Fun Facts cards every round.  The topics range from bird migration to ice fishing – something for everyone!

The object of the game is simple: be the first person to move around the board and make it back to the campfire.  If you land on a set of green footprints you have the chance to answer a Camp Card question, and if you answer correctly you can roll again.  If you land on a Camp Clubhouse symbol, you move to the Clubhouse and read a Fun Fact for all to hear.  Since the Clubhouse is near the middle of the route to the finish, you want to jump there during the first half of the game, but you don’t want to get sent back the second half.  For our family, those Fun Facts made the Clubhouse enjoyable each time we were sent back.  During the game if you happen to be the lucky holder of the Compass Card, you have the chance to take the short cut to the finish.  That’s it!

So if you’re looking for something fun to add to your family’s game night, or if you’re starting to shop for Christmas or birthday gifts, give CAMP a try.  It received a Dr. Toy’s 100 Best Children’s Products of 2007 award and a 2007 iParenting Media Award. There are booster packs available (I’m going to need those) and also an award winning Camp Travel Edition.

To top it off, Education Outdoors, the creator of CAMP, has committed to donating a percentage of their profits to organizations that are geared toward educating children and families about the great outdoors.  Go Wild and have fun!

We found our game at REI, but it’s available at lots of retail locations as well as at Amazon.com.  The price is $24.99.  You could also enter for a chance to win one of six copies of the game right here on Five Hens this week.  Click here to find out how to enter.

I have always been in awe of people with creatively carved Halloween pumpkins. At our house, we are lucky to get two eye triangles of approximately the same size. But this is my year! World Wildlife Fund has posted cute, simple wildlife pumpkin stencils on the web. There are several designs: a monarch butterfly, dolphins, gorillas, coral, polar bears, rhinos, tigers, turtles, the African plain, and of course the WWF panda. For all stencils, the pattern must be printed, taped to the pumpkin, then holes are poked around the pattern. The pumpkin is cut using the pattern, leaving you with a beautiful, creative pumpkin! Easy, impressive, and FREE. And what kid doesn’t love animals?

Since 1961, World Wildlife Fund (WWF) has been working to conserve nature. With almost 5 million global members, they work at every level from grassroots to government to protect natural areas and wildlife with a special focus on endangered species. WWF works to advance science to create a world where human needs are met in harmony with nature. According to Charity Navigator, WWF is a four star (top rated) charity meaning they use donations the way they say they will.

A lot of us carve pumpkins for Halloween, so why not do something other than traditional jack-o-lanterns this year? When you get compliments from your neighbors (and you WILL get compliments), steer them to World Wildlife Fund. The more people know about this first class organization, the closer WWF will get to accomplishing it’s worthwhile goals.

Here’s a slideshow of all the available stencils, plus information on each endangered animal or ecosystem.  Just click a thumbnail to see a larger image and start the slideshow.